2008 Woodie Awards
FOOTBALL: Cards still need win for MAC West championship
Andrew Walker
If Central Michigan University defeats Eastern Michigan University next week, the Ball State University football team must win next week against Western Michigan University to ensure a Mid-American Conference West Championship and an appearance in the MAC Championship game in Detroit's Ford Field.
The first tiebreaker, according to MAC-Sports.com, is head-to-head competition against each tied team in the division. If Ball State lost to Western Michigan and Central Michigan defeated Eastern Michigan, the Cardinals, Broncos and Chippewas would be 1-1 against each other (Ball State defeated Central Michigan Wednesday, Central Michigan defeated Western Michigan Oct. 18).
The second tiebreaker is each team's winning percentage against divisional opponents in rank order of final division standings. This would produce the same scenario as the first tiebreaker.
The third tiebreaker is the overall MAC record, including cross-divisional games, by winning percentage. If the Cardinals lose to Western Michigan and the Chippewas defeat Eastern Michigan, the three teams would all have a 7-1 MAC record, thus moving on to the fourth tiebreaker.
The fourth tiebreaker evaluates the combined MAC winning percentage of the cross-divisional opponents the top three teams play in that season. Both Central Michigan and Western Michigan's combined cross-divisional opponents' MAC winning percentages were .389, while Ball State's was .318 - meaning Central Michigan would win the MAC West title and advance to the MAC championship because of its 38-28 win against the Broncos on Oct. 18.
If Ball State loses to Western Michigan next week and Central Michigan defeats Eastern Michigan next week...
Fourth Tiebreaker:
Ball State East Division opponents and their combined MAC winning percentages:
Akron (3-3) .500
Kent State (2-5) .286
Miami (1-5) .167
Combined: .318
Central Michigan East Division opponents and their combined MAC winning percentages:
Ohio (1-5) .167
Buffalo (4-2) .667
Temple (2-4) .333
Combined: .389
Western Michigan East Division opponents and their combined MAC winning percentages:
Temple (2-4) .333
Ohio (1-5) .167
Buffalo (4-2) .667
Combined: .389
The first tiebreaker, according to MAC-Sports.com, is head-to-head competition against each tied team in the division. If Ball State lost to Western Michigan and Central Michigan defeated Eastern Michigan, the Cardinals, Broncos and Chippewas would be 1-1 against each other (Ball State defeated Central Michigan Wednesday, Central Michigan defeated Western Michigan Oct. 18).
The second tiebreaker is each team's winning percentage against divisional opponents in rank order of final division standings. This would produce the same scenario as the first tiebreaker.
The third tiebreaker is the overall MAC record, including cross-divisional games, by winning percentage. If the Cardinals lose to Western Michigan and the Chippewas defeat Eastern Michigan, the three teams would all have a 7-1 MAC record, thus moving on to the fourth tiebreaker.
The fourth tiebreaker evaluates the combined MAC winning percentage of the cross-divisional opponents the top three teams play in that season. Both Central Michigan and Western Michigan's combined cross-divisional opponents' MAC winning percentages were .389, while Ball State's was .318 - meaning Central Michigan would win the MAC West title and advance to the MAC championship because of its 38-28 win against the Broncos on Oct. 18.
If Ball State loses to Western Michigan next week and Central Michigan defeats Eastern Michigan next week...
Fourth Tiebreaker:
Ball State East Division opponents and their combined MAC winning percentages:
Akron (3-3) .500
Kent State (2-5) .286
Miami (1-5) .167
Combined: .318
Central Michigan East Division opponents and their combined MAC winning percentages:
Ohio (1-5) .167
Buffalo (4-2) .667
Temple (2-4) .333
Combined: .389
Western Michigan East Division opponents and their combined MAC winning percentages:
Temple (2-4) .333
Ohio (1-5) .167
Buffalo (4-2) .667
Combined: .389
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Big Tex
posted 11/20/08 @ 1:34 PM EST
How can we lose with the refs on our side? 15 yards for flexing by the CMU player? We rip the QB's head off in front of the ref and no call, plus we got all the spots!
BrianCS96
posted 11/21/08 @ 8:30 PM EST
Good job on running through the tiebreaker rules. The tiebreaker scenario you present is true if the season were to end today, but the cross divisional opponents still have games remaining to be played and as of today (Nov 21), multiple scenarios still exist where Ball State's East division opponents could end with a better MAC winning percentage than Western's or Central's East division opponents. (Continued…)
BSUWeb
posted 11/29/08 @ 5:08 PM EST
Get your Ball State "Undefeated Season T-shirt" and other related gear at TISBookBSU.com.
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